Angel of Small Death
by TheElejahDiaries
Summary: AU: Elena and Damon have been best friends for three years, so naturally, Elena is shocked to wake up in his bed. She is scared what they did will affect their friendship, but this fear pales in comparison to her terror for the entire town of Mystic Falls when she realizes it's in grave danger. Human!Elena, Human!Damon.
1. Chapter 1

**Angel of Small Death**

Elena turned over in bed, the covers sliding off her body as sunlight crept through the curtain. The window was cracked open and a soft breeze fluttered through, raising gooseflesh on her exposed arm. It was then that she realized she was naked and that this wasn't her room. She looked over at the sleeping body next to her and recognized Damon Salvatore, her best friend of three years.

_No, _she thought, _no, no, no. This is not happening, this can't be happening._

She must have been breathing heavily and loudly because Damon began to stir beside her. He grumbled a bit and rubbed his eyes before pulling himself up into a sitting position. Only then was it that he turned his head to look at Elena who was still lying on her side, looking up at him with her large, brown doe eyes, feeling small. He gave her a sleepy, lopsided smile, looking quite goofy, and gave a big yawn. Elena shivered and pulled the sheet up around her and sat up beside Damon, watching him from the corner of her eye. She watched as Damon's eyes began to look less sleepy and she could practically see the gears in his head turning. His head slowly turned and he stared blankly at Elena for a few moments.

"Hey," he said, his voice breaking the uncomfortable silence that had settled over his bedroom.

Elena remained silent, but her wide eyes looked around the room frantically for some kind of explanation. When she found none, the only thing she could do was look back at Damon, waiting for him to say something smart, something that would explain what on earth was going on.

What he said then was absolutely not what she'd expected to hear. "I'd offer you breakfast, but I'm too sore to move."

"Damon!" Elena shouted, torn between incredulity and laughter. "How are you not freaking out right now?"

"Are you freaking out?" he asked, sobering.

"Of course I'm freaking out! You're my best friend!"

"Elena, calm down," Damon said, taking her hand in his. "I think you and I both had a little too much to drink last night, but we can keep this between us if you want. It doesn't have to be a huge thing." He chuckled at his last statement and Elena elbowed him in the arm.

"This is absolutely _not _funny, Damon."

"Oh, lighten up, Elena. You do have to admit that it's a little funny. I mean, we've been best friends for three years. You're telling me you didn't feel _anything _between us?" Damon said.

Elena stammered. "What? No, Damon, I didn't. You're my best friend, not my – my – boyfriend!"

Damon was suddenly serious and looked slightly abashed. He said nothing.

"I should go," Elena said quietly. She stood, keeping the sheet wrapped around her body, and began gathering her clothes that were strewn about the floor. She slipped into the bathroom down the hall from Damon's room, the sheet trailing behind her. When she emerged, feeling no better about the situation, Damon was in the kitchen.

"Do – do you want to stay for breakfast?" he asked tentatively.

Elena ignored his question. "Damon, we shouldn't have done this. It was a mistake, and it can't happen again. I'm sorry." And with that, she left through the front door and began walking back home. The sun was already high in the sky, beating down on her. She could feel her bare shoulders warming under its glow, but she ignored it. Instead, she tried to remember what had happened last night.

* * *

><p><em>"Damon, I want to have <em>fun_!" Elena laughed, downing another drink. Damon simply laughed at her, shaking his head, tipping back his own glass._

_ "Are you telling me you're not having fun as it is? I thought I was always fun," he teased._

_ "You are," she giggled, "but do you know, I've never seen you dance."_

_ Damon rolled his eyes. "You should thank your lucky stars for that."_

_ Elena punched his arm lightly. "Come on, Damon, I want to dance." She set her drink down on the coffee table and moved to the stereo, turning it on to a local station that played a upbeat song. She began moving her hips to the music, looking at Damon from under her eyelashes. "Won't you dance with me?" she murmured._

_ Damon set his drink down next to Elena's and moved to meet her in the middle of his ostentatiously large living room. He wasn't a shy person, but Elena had always elicited strange feelings from him. It wasn't very long after he'd met her that he'd developed a crush on her, but it had never been something he'd acted on, though he did have a propensity for saying off-color things. But Elena always laughed, would always touch his arm and shake her head as though she disapproved of what he was saying, but she never said anything to reproach him._

_ Damon wrapped his arms around Elena's waist as they danced. She put her arms around his neck and the song switched to a slow, sensual song. She laid her head against Damon's chest, her energetic mood ebbing away. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she'd had too much to drink and Damon had too, but she didn't care. With Damon she was comfortable. She didn't have to pretend with him, like she had to with so many others. Damon _knew _her._

* * *

><p>The rest of the night pieced itself together and Elena wiped a tear from her cheek. They both should have known better. It didn't matter how good it had felt in the moment – it was wrong. She and Damon – they were just friends and that was the way it needed to be. Elena had never felt anything other than friendship with Damon, though she had sensed he felt a bit more. Whatever it was that had caused her to make a different choice last night was something she didn't want to think about.<p>

She wasn't enough of a fool to think that it hadn't felt good or right in the moment, because it had. But she had been drunk and so had he and that was a stupid time to make decisions. She was extremely thankful that they'd had the good sense to use protection, but that was where her thankfulness stopped. She was determined, though, that no one else ever found out about this. Their friendship was far too important to Elena to put it at any further risk and she knew that if it ever got out that they'd slept together, they would never hear the end of it. She didn't know if they could survive that. And that terrified her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Hey, everyone! I have to say, it feels amazing to be back on here _writing. _This is the first time I've written in a very long time and never did I think I'd come back to write Delena, but here I am! Anyway, I hope you like the first chapter of AoSD. I hope to update very soon, but please leave reviews! They've always been such a huge help to me, whether they're praise or constructive criticism. Whatever you think, I'd love to hear from you.

Now, a bit more about the story: The idea popped into my head after reading a list of prompts titled "the morning after." It kind of just came to me after that and originally, Damon was Stefan, but the playful way I was writing him seemed more like Damon to me, and no matter who you ship, it's hard to deny that Damon has feelings for Elena. I'm, of course, referring to the first three seasons because I stopped watching the show somewhere in season 4 and I don't really plan on catching up either. I'd much rather watch The Originals and enjoy the first 3 seasons of TVD, but I digress. In the summary, I talk about the fact that the town is in danger. The town encompasses the other characters on the show, but I might bring in an OC or two or even some characters from the books because I'm rereading them right now. I always loved Meredith (Sulez, from the books, not Fell), so I may bring her in at some point. If you've read the books, you may know why. If not, well, you'll just have to see!

But again, thanks for reading and please leave a review! Hope to talk to you all again very soon! For possible updates and/or playlists inspired by this fic, follow my tumblr: elejahmikaelson


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_Silent love is calling faith_

_To shatter me through your hallways_

_Into echoes you can feel_

_And rehearse the way you heal_

There was no pretending things weren't strange between Damon and Elena at school the next day. Everyone seemed to have noticed that Damon wasn't glued to Elena's side as he usually was. Elena could tell that even the teachers noticed; they'd become so accustomed to Damon and Elena sitting next to each other in class that when they sat on opposite sides of the room, they couldn't help but hide their astonishment. Their reactions coupled with her friends' questions made Elena all the more unhappy.

She had no one to blame but herself for what happened that night. It wasn't as if it was Damon's fault. She had suggested they go over to his house because his parents were out of town. She was the one who'd brought the alcohol, and she was the one who seduced her best friend. Damon hadn't forced her into everything and this only added to her guilt. If their friendship failed, it was on her shoulders and she didn't know if she could face that fact.

There was only one option, then. They had to talk about it, just the two of them, and they had to lay it all out on the table. If after that they felt they could go on being friends – because Elena wasn't considering becoming a couple – then she felt they could survive anything. The alternative was far less heartwarming. She could barely handle one day without Damon right beside her – she didn't know what she'd do if they found their friendship was damaged beyond repair.

Elena couldn't talk to Bonnie about it or Matt. She considered asking Meredith for her advice. If anyone could help her see reason, though, it would be Meredith. Meredith, tall, olive-skinned, and dark-haired. Meredith, ever the voice of reason and epitome of self-control. She was always honest and level-headed. She loved Bonnie and Matt, there was no doubt about it, but sometimes they just didn't understand. Bonnie was always talking about how her Grams told her she was psychic and ran around reading palms. She also had a crush on Damon, but it seemed to be more of a 'Oh, Elena, he really is gorgeous' than an unrequited love. Matt was the typical, All-American football player at school and he and Elena had even gone out once, but it hadn't worked out. They remained friends, thankfully, but Elena had to wonder sometimes if Matt still didn't have feelings for her. There was no way she could talk about sleeping with Damon to either of them. So that naturally left Meredith, but Elena resolved to keep this between herself and Damon for the time being.

After school, Elena slipped away from her group of friends – Bonnie, Matt, and Meredith – to stop by Damon's locker. When she stood next to it, he could scarcely look her in the eye.

"Damon," she said softly, and she reached out to touch his arm. Finally, he turned to look at her, leaning against his locker, looking rather stunning in black jeans and leather jacket. He didn't speak, though, just waited for her to initiate conversation. She cleared her throat. "I was thinking you could come over tonight so we could talk about –" She broke off, knowing full well people around them were listening in.

Damon was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, okay," he said coldly. Elena smiled at him and went to leave, but his hand caught hers as she turned. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but he seemed to think better of it.

"What is it, Damon?" Elena asked concernedly.

He shook his head. "Never mind," he said, sounding defeated. "We'll talk later. I'll be there around eight." He turned and walked down the hall, not bothering to close his locker.

* * *

><p>Elena could do nothing but pick at her supper, unable to eat anything. Aunt Jenna noticed and remarked on it, but Elena told her she was just tired. She seemed to accept this explanation, or just chose to not press the subject, for which Elena was grateful.<p>

After dinner, Elena went straight up to her room and waited for Damon to come. She spent the remaining time sitting on her window seat with the windows open, taking in the spring evening. The breeze blew through her long, brown hair and Elena closed her eyes. She loved the smell just before rain and she could tell a big storm was coming. She could only hope it wasn't omen of things to come.

At five to eight there was a knock on her door and she knew Aunt Jenna had let Damon in. She opened her door and there he stood, wearing the same clothes he'd been wearing at school, bed he quickly shed his leather jacket, revealing a black v-neck underneath. Elena gestured for him to sit, feeling odd at the formality of it. He sat on her bed while she sat back on her window seat. She watched as Damon reached for Elena's teddy bear, seeming engrossed in it. She knew he was just stalling, not wanting to delve into it all just yet.

"Damon," she said quietly. "Oh, Damon."

He still wouldn't look up at her. Instead, his eyes searched her room, looking at the few posters she had up, at the pictures of her parents, of her friends, of himself.

"Damon, please look at me." Finally, he looked up into her eyes. "We've got to be honest with each other. We have to lay it all out." Damon just nodded so Elena went on. "I'm sorry about the other night. I was drunk and I did things I normally wouldn't do. I led you on and I'm so, _so _sorry, Damon. You deserve so much better. You're my best friend and I'm sick with myself for jeopardizing that."

Damon hung his head. It was exactly what he'd been expecting to hear, exactly what he was _terrified _to hear. "I'm in love with you, Elena."

Elena spluttered. This wasn't really what she'd thought he'd say. She'd assumed he'd agree and say he hoped they could look past this and remain friends. Clearly, she'd underestimated his feelings for her and she was taken aback. "Damon, I –"

"It's okay, Elena," Damon said and that hint of defeat Elena had heard at school returned in full force. "I know you don't feel the same for me."

Elena didn't know what to say. She loved Damon, loved him so much, but it was an affection more fitting for a brother or, well, a best friend. She remained silent for a while, as did Damon. He wasn't pressuring her to say anything or to reciprocate his feelings. He was just waiting.

"I do love you, Damon, so much. It's just not in the way you love me. I'm so sorry that it's not. But – but maybe I could –"

"Elena, don't kid yourself." Damon was facing her now, looking deep into her swimming brown eyes with his piercing blue ones. "You and I both know you don't love me . . . like that," he said, faltering. Elena could see the hurt written in his features. "That's okay." It wasn't. She knew that. He knew that, but he said it anyway. "What happened Saturday was – was a mistake. I should never have taken advantage of you in that way."

"Damon, you didn't take advantage of me. Saturday was entirely my fault – if I hadn't gotten drunk we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Elena, we could argue over who caused this until we're blue in the face. The fact remains that it happened and we have to talk about it." Damon's voice was calm, but Elena could still see that, under his hardened exterior, he was deeply hurt by her words.

"You're right," she said. She scooted forward to the edge of her seat and took Damon's hand in hers. "I still want to be friends, Damon, more than anything. But if you can't do that –" Elena had to take a moment to steel herself, because the thought of it terrified her and made her want to sob – "if you can't do that, I understand. You have to do what's right for you."

"I'd never leave you, Elena," Damon said resolutely and from his tone, she knew he was telling the truth. No matter how much pain it caused him, he wouldn't leave her. "Not for anything."

"Oh, Damon," she cried, throwing her arms around his neck. He held her, knowing he'd made the right choice. To him, her happiness was paramount.

* * *

><p>The next day at school, things seemed to be entirely back to normal. Bonnie was glad to have Damon back with them and even Matt seemed put at ease. Meredith, ever-observant, seemed suspicious. Elena knew she didn't have a clue as to what had happened between her and Damon, but she resolved to talk to Meredith later. It seemed every loose end had been tied up, but even Elena knew things weren't always what they seemed. She knew Damon didn't just magically stop being in love with her. She knew he must be hurting, must be incredibly saddened by her words and she felt awful for it, but she couldn't make herself love him. Still, a nagging presence in the back of her mind told her, <em>You were the one who chose to sleep with him. <em>She shrugged the thought off, refusing to think about it. She wanted things back to normal, and what Elena Gilbert wanted, she got.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I was determined to get this second chapter out tonight since I don't work 'til tomorrow night, so here you have it! I can't believe I got two reviews within an hour of posting! I'm incredibly humbled and grateful to the reviewers and to everyone who's read the fic thus far.

I do want to clarify a couple things. This fic is AU (alternate universe). Damon and Elena are human and as far as we know, Bonnie just thinks she's psychic because her Grams told her so. Meredith is a character from the TVD books - probably my favorite character from the books actually - and I'm going to attempt to keep her very in character, so if anyone's read the books, let me know what you think about her in the coming chapters. Elena's parents died and she lives with Aunt Jenna. I debated putting Jeremy or even her little sister Margaret from the books, but I'm going to leave her as an only child. A sibling isn't relevant to the storyline either way. Elena and Matt did date, and for the most part, his character is in the same circumstances as early on in the show (he pretty much provides for his family because his mom is always gone and Vicki hangs out with a questionable crowd). I'm still debating on whether or not to include Caroline, but if I do, I think she'll probably be influenced more by her character in the books than in the show (i.e., cruel and Elena's rival).

I think that about wraps it up for now. Let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

_I just need enough of you to dull the pain_

_Just get me through the night 'til we're twins again_

_'Til we're stripped down to our skeletons again_

_'Til we're saints just swimming in our sins again_

"You did _what?_" said Meredith, her eyes widening almost comically.

Elena hushed her and crossed the room to close her bedroom door. She and Meredith had been working on homework for their history class when Meredith had brought up Damon. Elena was practically bursting from not being able to talk about it with anyone. She didn't want to keep talking with Damon about it, knowing how he felt, and she knew she couldn't say anything to Bonnie or Matt. Meredith was safe, though, and despite her shock, Elena knew she wouldn't judge her. She loved Meredith that way. She didn't make decisions until she had all the facts and she was always calm and collected.

Elena was blushing as she sat back on her bed next to Meredith, but when she looked up, Meredith was smiling. Elena's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Sorry," Meredith said quickly. "It's just – well, I couldn't figure out why you two were so distant the other day. Now it makes sense. So, let me guess, Damon's in love with you, but even though you don't feel the same way, he's not going to stop being your friend."

"Meredith, sometimes your observation skills scare the crap out of me," said Elena, shaking her head. Meredith laughed. "But, you're right. That's pretty much exactly what he said, if not in so many words." Elena took on a serious tone. "I feel awful about it, Meredith. Part of me wishes we'd never had sex so things would be like before. The other part of me wishes I felt something for him, you know, other than friendship. I do love him, but it's not like that. I know it's hurting him to have practically bared his soul to me and not have me feel the same way. Especially after sleeping with him. It's got to be a slap in the face."

"I see what you mean," Meredith said. "But ultimately, it's his choice if he wants to stick around. And I don't think there's anything that would make him leave you. He values your relationship too much, even if it's not quite where he wants it to be. Didn't you notice it's the same with Matt?"

Elena opened her mouth and then closed it quickly. She looked at Meredith in surprise. "It really is, isn't it? I mean, I always thought it was a mutual break-up, but looking back, I think he just kind of saw it coming so he went down without a fight." They were both quiet for awhile, until Elena spoke up again. "God, Meredith, I'm an awful person."

"Come on, now, none of that," Meredith said sternly. "You are most definitely _not _an awful person, Elena Gilbert. You're kind and compassionate and thoughtful. Not having feelings for someone else doesn't make you a bad person."

Elena nodded, sniffing. "Yeah," she muttered, "but what about sleeping with them?"

"We've all done things we regret, Elena, but where would we be if we kept repeating those mistakes in our heads? You've got to put it behind you. It happened, and now it's over with. Damon doesn't hate you – he feels the opposite, in fact – and he doesn't blame you for it either. I think you're being too hard on yourself."

"You're probably right," Elena acquiesced.

"Probably?" Meredith raised an eyebrow at her.

"Okay," Elena laughed, "you're definitely right. You're always right."

"Oh, stop, you're fueling my ego."

It was clear the conversation was over and the girls dissolved into laughter before turning back to their homework.

* * *

><p>Late that night, Damon was pacing his room. He was between a rock and a hard place on this one. He had finally been honest with Elena, told her how he really felt for her, but it hadn't been enough. She didn't love him back. Well, she did, but not in the way he'd hoped. After they'd slept together, he'd been certain his feelings were reciprocated. It had been almost otherworldly, their night together. They'd connected on a deeper level than before and Damon felt impossibly close to her. When he fell asleep with her next to him, everything felt perfect, like this was how life was supposed to be. But his life wasn't that good. He didn't deserve someone like Elena. He'd been orphaned at a young age and he and his only brother got on poorly. At the moment, his brother was studying in Italy, but he'd be back in a few weeks, at the end of May.<p>

Stefan was a year younger than Damon and they never saw eye to eye. Stefan claimed Damon had no moral compass, had no regard for others. Damon saw Stefan as weak and kind to a fault. People were always taking advantage of Stefan and Damon was past the point of caring. They'd had one too many fights and he was of the mindset that he wouldn't bat an eye if his brother never returned from Italy.

But Damon didn't want to think of his brother now. All he could think of was Elena Gilbert, with her flowing brunette hair and her endless brown eyes and her pale, porcelain skin. She was the girl he'd been waiting for. There had been countless others before her, always disappointing in some way. None of them compared to Elena. Her flame burned brighter.

* * *

><p><em>"Damon," a voice whispered. The voice was high, beautiful, and it danced over his name in a way he knew so well.<em>

_"Elena," he answered back, calling to her._

_"I'm over here, Damon," said the voice._

_"Elena," Damon said, this time more insistently. He couldn't see her, but her voice sounded so close._

_"Silly Damon." The voice giggled. "I'm over here."_

_Now the voice was coming from the opposite direction and Damon whipped around just fast enough to see brown hair disappearing behind a tree. It was then that he realized he was in the woods, in the middle of a very small, very dark clearing, with the only light coming from the crescent moon above him. His eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness, but he still couldn't see her. She was playing with him, leading him in circles around the clearing while she stayed just under cover of the trees. Something inside him told him to keep away from the voice, keep out of the woods, but he was drawn to her. He wanted her so badly – he just had to see her._

_"Come on, Damon, don't you want me?"_

_"Yes. Yes," Damon murmured. He'd heard the voice directly behind him and he was close to the edge of the woods. He spun as quickly as he could and he could scarcely believe his eyes._

_Standing there, skin glowing ethereally in the moonlight was Elena, but she looked different. Damon realized it was her expression. She looked angry, very angry. She took a few steps toward him and Damon knew he must get away, but she was moving quickly, with an air of deadly calm. _

_"I thought you wanted to see me, Damon," she said._

_Damon didn't answer. He was slowly backing away from her, but he had nowhere to go. Elena was close enough to touch him now, and she did. She touched his arm and leaned in and kissed him. Damon was hesitant to return the kiss. Every fiber of his being was telling him to run, but he couldn't. Elena pulled away from him and her face contorted horribly. Damon wanted to scream and run away as fast as he could but Elena grabbed him. And everything went black._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **So there's chapter 3! I hope everyone is enjoying the fic so far! I'm having fun writing it, that's for sure.

I've been listening to Fall Out Boy's new album nonstop since my preorder arrived and it's such a spectacular album! Blows Save Rock and Roll out of the water, honestly.

Anyway, please leave reviews, favorite, follow, etc.! Any feedback makes me a happy camper.

Until next time,  
>Taylor<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_Keeping on the outside_

_Glimmer in the moonlight_

_Only shadows know where we are_

_Creeping on the edge of the dark _

Elena woke the next morning feeling odd. She'd had the strangest dream that night. In it, she had been lurking in the shadows, weaving in and out of trees, as she stalked something – no, not something, _someone. _And that someone had turned out to be Damon. It was like she'd been toying with him, teasing him, for her own sick enjoyment. She'd woken up before she'd seen the conclusion of the dream – had she actually harmed Damon? – and she felt uncomfortable. A sense of foreboding hung in the air as she walked to school.

There was a brisk wind, abnormally chilly for the middle of spring in Virginia. The unusual cold settled into a fog, which grew thicker as Elena made her way to Mystic Falls High School. It grew increasingly harder to see and the sense of unease that had loomed over her from the dream seemed to wrap its invisible hand around her. She had the feeling that someone was watching her, but through the dense fog, there was no way to confirm or contradict her theory. She moved her legs as quickly as she could, almost breaking into a run. Elena now felt a sense of panic, like she had to get to school as fast as possible or the consequences would be disastrous. As soon as she thought this, though, she realized how ridiculous it sounded in her head. It would disastrous if she didn't get to school right away? Clearly, the fog was only amplifying the residual worry from her dream and there was nothing to worry about.

Elena arrived at school at her usual time, expecting to meet Damon at his locker as they usually did before and after school. When she saw Damon, the foreboding feeling returned and she realized it was because of the way Damon looked.

He was dressed in his usual black jeans, shirt, and leather jacket, but he looked sickeningly pale, his hair was disheveled (and not in a careful, intentional way), and there were dark circles under his eyes. Elena hurried over to him, and touched his hand. She jerked back, shocked by just how cold he felt.

"Damon," Elena said, but Damon didn't seem to notice her. "Damon," she said again, more insistently, and this time he looked at her, as if just noticing her presence. "Are you okay? What happened to you?"

Damon nodded, swallowing. "Fine. Just didn't sleep well."

"Damon, tell me what's going on. You look like – Well, you look like death." Elena had hesitated. Talking about death seemed wrong in the moment.

"I'm fine, Elena, seriously," Damon said, his voice scratchy. He rubbed the side of his neck and pulled the collar of his jacket up. "Don't worry about me."

Elena's brows furrowed, not believing a word Damon said. "I'll come over tonight, okay? We can talk if you want. Or just hang out."

Damon nodded. "Okay. I'll see you later," he said, moving down the hall toward his first class.

Elena was left standing next to Damon's locker feeling worried and sick to her stomach. Something was definitely wrong with Damon.

* * *

><p>The rest of Elena's school day passed by in a blur, despite how slowly it went. She couldn't remember a single word anyone had said to her. All she could think of was Damon and how terrible he'd looked. She had never seen him like this. She'd seen him with the flu and when he'd pulled an all-nighter and this was neither of those. His playful, sometimes inappropriate, demeanor was gone and he seemed almost like a shell of himself.<p>

Damon was nowhere to be seen at the end of the day, so Elena headed straight for his house. The fog had lifted, but it was a gloomy day, and rain lurked just on the horizon. The walk to Damon's was almost twice the distance to Elena's own house, but she knew it just as well. Damon lived just on the edge of town, with the edge of the woods at his backyard. The houses were more spaced and it was almost a half-mile to his closest neighbor. When Elena asked if he ever got lonely, Damon had replied with a laugh, saying no, that he preferred the solitude over a noisy city street. Elena could see the appeal, but she also liked the warmth that her tree-lined, populated street offered. And it was while she thought about her own street, her own home, that she became unsettled. She could just barely see Damon's house now, and there was a light on in his bedroom window. She just had to make it there. As she walked faster, she chanced a glance behind her. There was no one there, but the feeling that she was being watched was stronger than ever. She had bridged half the gap to Damon's house now, and just a few hundred feet remained.

It was then that ice-cold hands grabbed her from behind, one covering her mouth so her scream was unheard.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Hello! It is I! I am so sorry this chapter is so short, but I really wanted to get something up for you guys since it's been about a week since I last updated. I started school again on Monday and this is my final semester here before I transfer to a bigger college. I should be able to update fairly regularly, at least during the beginning of the semester.

But yeah, so this is a short chapter, but I promise I'll make it up to you in the coming chapters!

Please let me know what you thought/think will happen in a **review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_Feeling more human and hooked on her flesh I_

_Lay my heart down with the rest at her feet_

_Fresh from the fields, all feeder and fertile_

_It's bloody and raw, but I swear it is sweet_

Damon had gone straight home after school, feeling drained. His day at school had moved quickly and yet had seemed to drag on indefinitely. He could not remember a single thing his teachers had said, or, upon trying, anything else from the day. Perhaps he was coming down with something. He resolved to fall a little behind on his work in favor of rest, so he made his way to his bedroom and collapsed on the bed, falling into a fitful sleep.

Damon slept through the night, but was plagued again and again by disturbing images and dreams that seemed to make no sense. When he finally woke, he find he couldn't remember the dreams, but had a vague sense of dread. He touched the side of his neck and found it was very sore. He moved to the bathroom to further inspect the tender area and saw two tiny pinpricks with a small amount of dried blood around them. A symptom of his sickness? After all, he still felt off, but better than he had yesterday. Apparently the extra sleep had paid off. Damon checked the time and realized he was going to be late for school if he didn't hurry, so he took a damp washcloth and dabbed at his neck until it was clean, threw on some clean clothes, grabbed his backpack, and hurried off to Mystic Falls High School.

* * *

><p>At the Gilbert house, Aunt Jenna, Meredith, Bonnie, and Matt were in a frenzy. Elena hadn't come home from school and was still missing. Jenna was practically inconsolable and out of her head with worry. Meredith remained calm as always and was the first to devise a plan.<p>

"Okay, we can't call the cops to report her as missing because it hasn't been twenty-four hours since someone last saw her, so I say we take matters into our own hands. Jenna, you can stay here and wait by the phone for one of us to call – or for Elena to come home," she added, seeing the terror flash across Jenna's face. "Bonnie and Matt, you two can check by the cemetery. She goes there when she has a lot on her mind, so that could be a possibility. I'll go to Damon's and see if she's there."

The three of them filed out of the Gilbert house and into their separate cars. Bonnie had already texted everyone in her contacts to keep an eye out for Elena and to let Bonnie know immediately if they saw her. They had, of course, tried Elena's cell first thing, only to find it next to her bed, still on its charger. Meredith didn't say anything about it, but the fact that Damon wasn't answering his phone either was concerning. She knew he'd seemed out of it at school the day before, but considering he cared about Elena more than anything, she would have expected him to respond immediately. She held out hope that Elena was with him.

* * *

><p>Damon was just locking his front door behind him when Meredith pulled up. He didn't recognize the car at first, since she usually walked to school, but once her tall, dark figure emerged from the vehicle he gave her a small wave and a smile. His smile fell when he saw her expression of worry and fear.<p>

"Meredith," he said in greeting. "Is something wrong?"

"Elena isn't with you, is she?" Meredith said, ignoring his question.

Damon shook his head. "No. Should she be?"

Meredith sighed. "She's missing. She didn't come home after school yesterday and we were thinking that maybe she was here with you."

Damon swallowed hard. "Missing? Have you tried calling her?" His eyes were wide with worry. That sick feeling of dread returned to his stomach.

"Of course," Meredith said quickly. "Wasn't she supposed to come over here after school?"

Damon scratched his head. He had no recollection of such plans, but that wouldn't be at all out of the ordinary. He and Elena hung out at least three times a week. "I – Well, I don't remember. All I know is that I got home right after school and passed out on my bed 'til morning."

Meredith ran a hand through her long, brown hair, her dark, well-defined brows furrowing. She was looking toward the woods with a far away expression on her face. She turned back to Damon. "Do you have any idea where she might be?"

"I really don't," said Damon, "but I'm helping you look."

He threw his backpack onto the porch and he and Meredith descended the stairs and got into her car, driving off to meet up with Bonnie and Matt. On the drive there, Damon found he was functioning much better than he had been the day before. He had been lethargic and barely able to keep his eyes open. Now, he wasn't sure if he was just feeling better or if the news about Elena had triggered a release of adrenaline. Either way, he knew he wouldn't be okay until she was found.

When they caught up with Bonnie and Matt at the cemetery where Elena's parents were buried, their news was much the same. No one had seen hide nor hair of Elena after school had let out.

"We didn't see anything. Nothing to suggest she even came here," Matt said. "She always leaves flowers for her parents and there wasn't anything there."

"Wait!" Bonnie cried, furiously texting. When she'd finished, she nearly dropped her phone in excitement. "Aimee Bradley said she saw Elena talking to Damon and she said she was going to his house after school." Everyone turned to Damon. "Did she ever come over?" Bonnie asked hopefully.

"Judging by the fact that I don't have Elena in my back pocket," Meredith quipped, "I'd say no. But you don't remember that, Damon?" she said somewhat suspiciously.

Damon shut his eyes and tried to remember the conversation, but he kept coming up blank. "I really don't remember anything from yesterday. I was so out of it – I didn't feel well," he said, seeing the look Bonnie was giving him. "Trust me," he said, "if I had remembered that, I would have said so right away. I want nothing more than to find Elena." No one disputed this fact, especially Meredith, seeing how she knew everything that had recently transpired between Elena and Damon.

"I say we go back to your house, Damon," Meredith said, and no one had a better idea so they did just that.

On the way there, Bonnie called Jenna and told her the abridged version of what they'd just found out. Jenna seemed only more worried by this information, now concerned about Damon's well-being. "We'll find her," Bonnie said, not knowing if she was trying to convince Jenna or herself.

"Okay," Meredith said when they arrived back at Damon's house, "where should we start?"

"She might have gotten here yesterday, but for some reason didn't go into the house," Matt offered and immediately wished he hadn't because of the sinister images as to why Elena might not have gotten into Damon's house in his mind were enough to make him sick to his stomach.

"The woods," Bonnie said quietly. "We should check the woods."

"You think she's in there?" Matt asked, eyeing the dark brush.

"It's a possibility," Meredith said. "We should stay in groups – don't get separated. Just shout if either one of us find something."

Meredith and Damon headed to the left of Damon's house while Bonnie and Matt went right. As Meredith and Damon broke through the edge of the woods, Meredith thought it best to make a little conversation. It took her mind off the sinking feeling in her stomach.

"Elena told me some things," she started, watching Damon from the corner of her eye.

"Yeah?" he asked quietly. "Like what?"

"She told me you two slept together." Meredith wasn't really one to beat around the bush. "And I just want you to know that she loves you. Maybe not in the way you want, but she really does care for you."

Damon nodded, dodging a low-hanging branch. "Yeah, I know," he said. "I could never leave her."

Meredith gave a slight chuckle. "I think we all knew that, Damon. You two are inseparable and you have been for ages. But I wanted to make sure you knew that she never did anything to intentionally hurt you."

"No, I know. It just sucks," Damon said. Meredith realized this was the most serious conversation she and Damon had ever had. They had never gotten particularly close, but Meredith couldn't say she at all disliked Damon. He was good to Elena, even if he said largely inappropriate things at school. "We, you know, had sex and it was like maybe she actually feels –"

"Ssh!" Meredith said suddenly, cutting Damon off. "I think I heard something."

They stood stock still, Meredith bracing herself against the trunk of a massive sycamore tree. And then a sound broke through the silence. It was a muffled cry and Damon sprang into action. "It's her!" he shouted and Meredith tore off after him. Every so often they stopped and called out, trying to follow the sound of Elena's voice.

"Damon," her voice croaked and it was impossibly close.

"There!" Meredith half-screamed, finally spotting Elena's dark hair against the forest floor.

"Elena," Damon murmured, kneeling down next to her. She looked all right, but weak and extremely tired. "Elena, what happened to you?"

She shook her head, eyes filling with tears. "I don't remember."

"Ssh, ssh," Damon whispered, petting her hair. "It's okay, you're okay. Meredith and I are here. You're safe now."

"How are we going to get her out of here?" Meredith asked Damon. It was true it would be a difficult job. The brush was thick in some places and the ground uneven and it didn't look like Elena would be up to walking very far.

Damon didn't answer, but instead scooped Elena up with some difficulty and put her over his shoulder. He was unsteady for a moment, but eventually got his footing. Damon wasn't the strongest guy Meredith had ever seen, and he was on the shorter side, but what he lacked in physical strength, he made up for in determination.

"Just lead the way," he muttered.

It took Damon and Meredith much longer to get out of the woods than it had to get that far in, but they finally emerged out onto the road, not too far away from Damon's house.

"Are you okay to get to the house?" Meredith asked, noting how red Damon's face was. He nodded. "If we can just get her to a car . . . . I'm going to go find Bonnie and Matt. I'll be right back."

Meredith sprinted down the road to where Bonnie and Matt had entered the woods. She yelled for them until she was hoarse and finally they stumbled back out of the brush.

"Come on," Meredith said, already running back to the cars. "We found her."

Bonnie and Matt were right behind Meredith as she reached Damon's house. Elena was sitting next to Damon on the front porch steps. He had a blanket around her and was making her take small sips of water.

"She's freezing and dehydrated," he said. Meredith could see he was exhausted, but knew he could rest easier now that Elena had been found.

"I'll call Jenna and have her meet us at the hospital," Bonnie said, stepping away to make the call.

"Elena," Matt said, kneeling in front of her and taking one of her ice-cold hands, "Elena, do you know what happened to you?"

She shook her head again, curling closer to Damon. "I don't know."

Matt didn't press the issue, not wanting to upset her. Whatever had happened had clearly affected her deeply. Everyone's first priority was getting her to a hospital. They all loaded into Meredith's SUV, with Elena shivering in the front seat – so much so that Meredith cranked the heat – and Bonnie, Matt, and Damon in the backseat. Damon had reached forward and held Elena's hand the entire way.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **This chapter (lengthwise) should more than make up for the tiny one I posted last night! I hope you guys enjoyed it and that I didn't drive you too crazy. But yeah, please let me know what you guys think! Reviews are super, super awesome and give me a lot of inspiration!

'Til next time,

Taylor :)


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